1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic stroboscope, and more particularly, to an electronic stroboscope including a reflector that reflects light generated from a light discharge tube that can be used in a compact and slim digital camera in order to irradiate it uniformly towards a subject.
2. Description of the Related Art
An electronic stroboscope includes a light discharge tube and a reflector, the light discharge tube having a light source. The reflector reflects light generated by the light source from the light discharge tube and irradiates it uniformly onto a front surface of a subject.
As digital cameras have gradually become compact and slim, users demand both camera design and camera performance when selecting cameras. To satisfy these requirements, a reflector of an electronic stroboscope should be designed to be thin and to have a narrow opening while having desired light distribution properties. In order for cameras to become more slim and compact, the reflector should become thinner and an opening of the reflector should become narrower.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Gazette No. 1997-166815, Japanese Patent Publication Gazette No. 3672990, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Gazette No. 19970197497, and Korean Patent Laid-Open Gazette No. 2005-0074597 each discloses a reflector of an electronic stroboscope. However, these publications focus on improving light distribution; miniaturization and slim design of the electronic stroboscope are not addressed. That is, an opening of the reflector is wide and an angle of light distribution is not considered. Accordingly, in order for light radiated from the light discharge tube to reach a maximum angle of light distribution, the depth of the reflector (i.e., a length of the reflector in a thickness direction of a camera) should be increased. Therefore, conventional reflectors make miniaturization and slim of a camera difficult. In addition, although the angle of light distribution can be reduced using a protector, there is a limit in the amount to which the angle can be reduced. Also, the radiation efficiency is decreased due to light being radiated out of the angle of light distribution.
In particular, the reflector disclosed in Korean Patent Laid-Open Gazette No. 2005-0074597 includes an aspheric part, a cylindrical curved part, a periplanar part, and an inclined planar part. The radius of curvature of the cylindrical curved part is very short (about 0.95-1.1 mm) and thus, the inclined planar part having a short length is hard to manufacture since the manufacture process includes compressing a thin plate formed of aluminum material. Also, light distribution in a vertical direction varies much with the inclination of the inclined planar part.